Which virtual assistant would you hire? Cortana vs. Siri vs. Google Now

Nearly every smartphone and computer on the market today has a smart assistant trapped inside, like a helpful ghost, but how do they stack up against one another? While it may seem like Siri, Cortana, and the nameless Google Now assistant are all just variations of the same thing — and well, they are to some extent — they each have their own quirks, flaws, and strengths. So which one’s best for you? Well, that’s not an easy question to answer, as they’re so similar it’s hard to compare them without digging deep into their capabilities. That said, let’s get started.

Cortana

On Windows Phone, you can use Cortana to make calls, send messages, set reminders, take notes, recognize music, find great restaurants, check your calendar, and more. The Windows 10 version of Cortana adds a few more features, like the ability to search files by context — i.e., “Hey Cortana, show me presentations I’ve worked on in the past week.” The Windows 10 Creators Update adds even more functionality, including the ability to lock, restart, or shut down your computer. All of this is done using natural language.

While you can store specific bits of information with Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant is constantly analyzing your interactions to learn more about you. This info is stored in something Microsoft calls the “Notebook,” which includes the places you like to go, people you care about, your preferred quiet hours, and things you might be interested in, among other things. You can even edit it if you like.

Cortana can also read your emails, track your location, watch your browsing history, check your contact list, keep an eye on your calendar, and put all this data together to suggest useful info, if you allow it to. Cortana is designed to recognize context, so it should be able to understand follow-up requests, and you can phrase things in different ways and still expect a useful answer. You can also type your questions or requests, if you prefer to not speak out loud.

More: How to use and customize Cortana in Windows 10

Cortana is not limited Microsoft’s apps, either, as the it can access third-party content as well. For example, asking how many calories are in a banana would not only return the answer, but the option to add that food to your calorie tracker (if it supports Cortana). The assistant can also add something to your Hulu queue, or check out a friend’s Facebook feed. More and more third-party connectivity is being added all the time, and with the Creators Update, it’s easier than ever for third-party developers to include Cortana functionality. The latter update will open Cortana up to developers in a few important ways by allowing developers to add their own Cortana commands, which are tied directly to their respective applications.

TPCast wireless adapter for HTC Vive scheduled to ship by end of April

Why it matters to you

If you ordered your TPCast wireless adapter for the HTC Vive headset from China, then you can expect it to ship this month.

HTC’s Vive virtual reality system has some of the best room-scale sensors around, letting VR users roam throughout a space and experience a more immersive experience. But that experience is hampered by the need to keep everything connected with cumbersome wiring.

That is about to change, as HTC announced a partnership with TPCast to create a wireless adapter that cuts the cord and lets users move around without tripping over wires. Now, it appears that TPCast is set to release its solution by the end of April after a bit of a delay, Road to VR reports.

More: The first wireless kit for HTC’s Vive gives new meaning to ‘hot pocket’

The story is a bit convoluted, as apparently the product was first up for pre-order in November via the online Vive store in China and expected to ship in the first quarter of 2017. It’s those pre-orders that are expected to ship by the end of April. The rest of the world was going to receive units sometime in the second quarter of 2017 and so it’s possible that those shipments might also be arriving a bit late.

In our first take on the TPCase wireless adapter, which connects to the Vive headset and removes the need to keep that component tethered to your PC, we found the solution promising but problematic in a few ways.

The adapter works as expected, allowing users to move freely within the Vive room-scale sensors without encumbrance. TPCast promises less than two milliseconds on latency and, by our testing, was able to keep up.

At the same time, we also found the wireless connection to be sensitive to movement and jostling of the adapter. While the connection was reestablished quickly, the disconnect detracted from the overall experience. TPCast indicated that final versions of the product would be less prone to the issue.

In addition, wireless adapters naturally require their own power. In our experience, the battery pack got rather warm. While it lasted up to five hours, it made for an uncomfortable experience that we hope will be also resolved with the final shipping product.

Now that the TPCast wireless adapter has a firmer shipping date, at least for Chinese pre-orders, we will be looking forward to moving around more freely within the HTC Vive’s VR landscape. If you have been waiting for your own TPCast, though it might yet be delayed, at least there is a light at the end of the virtual tunnel.

From the sky to your door, Amazon’s drones are coming – here’s what you should know

Amazon has done a lot recently to speed up its shipping services. It has algorithms that anticipate your orders, ultra-efficient robots that pick items from warehouses, and even a service (Prime Now) that delivers certain items to your doorstep just hours after you order them.

The only problem? Right now, this super-fast shipping service depends on delivery trucks, and only works if you live fairly close to one of Amazon’s warehouses. This puts limits on not only the number of people who can use the service, but also the selection of items available to prospective buyers.

More: The best drone you can buy

That’s where Amazon’s efforts to introduce drone delivery come in. The company first announced its project — appropriately dubbed Prime Air — in late-2013, to much skepticism. Since then, the project has overcome numerous hurdles, and while it’s not quite ready for primetime quite yet, every month it inches closer toward launch.

To help you keep track of the project’s development, we’ve put together this comprehensive timeline. It starts with Prime Air’s history and goes through every major development up to the present. Be sure to circle back from time to time, as this article is updated regularly to include the latest news and information. Enjoy!

A dose of reality

Getting Amazon drones off the ground (both literally and figuratively) will take a lot of work, in addition to persuading the FAA to agree to let drones in the air in the first place. One big hurdle is the issue of getting the packages to you. Although Amazon has established a commendable network of fulfillment centers throughout the country, there are only locations in 24 states, most of which are coastal.

To remedy this — and this is pretty out there — Amazon recently patented what it calls an “airborne fulfillment center.” This basically amounts to a warehouse that doubles as a drone airport, one that would hang suspended from a blimp. Another issue Amazon has to deal with is where to put these drones when they’re not in use. For this one, the company has suggested using street lights, cell towers, and other high-lofted objects as potential “docking stations.” And how about getting the package to you? Does the drone land on your front porch? Maybe not — it might deliver the package via parachute.

But in every case, these ideas are not yet realistic and show that it’s likely that it will be many more years before Prime Air takes off (no pun intended). As for a timeline, it looks like we will have to wait until as late as 2020, if not later, for large-scale availability.

Having trouble sideloading Android 7.1.2 on your Nexus or Pixel? You’re not alone

Sideload is broken with the latest version of ADB. Here’s what you need to do.

For the few keeners, like me, who are interested in quickly getting an update to Android 7.1.2, you may have run into a hitch while using ADB, the tool provided by Google for the purpose, to flash your phone.

Google reportedly broke the ADB sideload functionality for large files like the ones included with the new Pixel and Nexus in its latest platform tools that were distributed on March 16. Specifically, version rev.25.0.4 has been repurposed to save memory, but in doing so cannot deal with the size of the extracted OTA image files.

The fix is simple: if you’re using ADB, you should download the previous version, rev.25.0.3 released in December, which should fix the problem.

Download ADB rev.25.0.3 from Google

Android Nougat

• Android 7.0 Nougat: Everything you need to know
• Will my phone get Android Nougat?
• Google Pixel + Pixel XL review
• All Android Nougat news
• How to manually update your Nexus or Pixel
• Join the Discussion

Google Wifi’s latest feature isn’t going to make your kid very happy

Google has updated its Wi-Fi router so that you can annoy your kids.

“Wi-Fi at home helps with special everyday moments,” Google announced on Monday. “But as we all know, sometimes these moments can turn into hours spent watching videos or browsing photos. That’s why we built Scheduled Pause, a new feature in Google Wifi”.

Scheduled Pause basically lets you pause the internet in your house, as long as you’re using Google Wifi as your router. With the new feature, you can automatically disrupt the Wi-Fi for everyday events like bedtime or homework so that your kids can better focus, Google contends. But, in reality, we think you’ll just end up upsetting your children who are itching to get online. Still, Google thinks this feature is a great tool for families.

The company noticed that people have trouble falling asleep at night because they check emails and surf the web late into the night. And many people, in and outside of Google, have told the company that they find screen time is a particularly common challenge for parents — “from getting kids to put down their favourite game to struggling to have dinner without eyes glued to devices.”

Google

Now, using the Google Wifi app, parents can tell their Google Wifi to shut down at a specific time in their daily schedule. When the time arrives, their router will pause the internet for specific devices, allowing parents and their devices to still get online while their kids stomp away and pout in the other room.

Check out Pocket-lint’s Google Wifi guide to see what else the mesh router can do.

Best Amazon UK Easter deals: Tablets, tech and home improvement treats

Easter is approaching and Amazon is going to be running daily deals right through from 4-17 April 2017.

There will be a whole range of things to buy across Amazon’s different stores, from shoes to home improvements, but we’re interested in the best Amazon Easter tech deals.

Here’s a pick of some of the bargains you can snap up on 4 April 2017, we’ll update as more deals are revealed throughout the Amazon Easter Deals period:

• ASUS 2-in-1 Transformer Mini Tablet, 30 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• TP-Link 1000Mbps Gigabit Passthrough Powerline Starter Kit, 27 per cent – off click here to get this deal
• Kärcher K2 Full Control Pressure Washer, 20 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Braun IRT6020 ThermoScan Thermometer, 15 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Huawei W1 Stainless Steel Classic Smartwatch with Leather Strap, 13 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Epson Portable Projector, 10 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• SanDisk Extreme PRO 512 GB SDXC UHS-I Memory Card, 11 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Linx 1020 10-Inch Tablet with Keyboard, 7 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Bosch ALB 18 LI Leaf Blower, 43 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Bosch AQT 40-13 Pressure Washer, 33 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Vax Cordless SlimVac Bagless Vacuum Cleaner, 28 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• TP-LINK TL-PBG6700 Vivid Series 6700mAh Ultra Compact Power Bank, 26 per cent off – click here to get this deal
• Hoover TH71 BL02001 Blaze Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner, 19 per cent off – click here to get this deal

Some of these deals will run for 24 hours only, some will run until Amazon runs out of stock, so they won’t be available forever. Of course, if nothing tickles your fancy, you can always buy the Amazon Echo from Amazon for £149.99 or buy the Amazon Echo Dot from Amazon for £49.99.

We’ll be keeping our eyes out for interesting deals over the coming weeks, so check back and see if you can get yourself something other than chocolate this Easter.

HTC Viveport Subscription: How does it work and how much is it?

HTC has made it a lot easier on the wallet to try new VR apps.

HTC offers the Vive headset and Viveport marketplace. The company said Vive headset owners have access to more than 1,600 Vive apps, with over 30 new apps launching daily, but with some of these apps having hefty $19.99, $9.99, $7.99, etc, price tags, it can be expensive to experience virtual reality. You basically have to spend hundreds if you want to fully test the medium. But soon, that’s about to change.

• HTC Vive review: An experience that’s out of this world
• HTC is making a mobile VR headset unlike anything we’ve seen so far

HTC is launching the Viveport Subscription service. It has a monthly fee, sort of like Netflix. If you’re a paid susbscriber, you can choose from a pool of 50 titles and rotate your selection every month, allowing you to refresh your library without going broke.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is Viveport Subscription?

Viveport Subscription is a new, paid subscription service for HTC’s Viveport marketplace. The company has described it as the “first-ever subscription model for a VR app store,” and claimed it will give Vive headset owners a “new way to navigate the burgeoning VR app marketplace and continually discover new content for a low monthly fee”. Viveport Subscription will launch with a one-month free trial offer for all new users.

How does Viveport Subscription work?

Pre-register now

Go here to pre-register and be among the first to get access to Viveport Subscription. Everyone will receive a one-month free trial.

Navigate Viveport

HTC said Viveport Subscription will introduce a “new way to navigate the hundreds of apps currently available” on Viveport.

We will update this piece when we know more about how Viveport’s new navigation system works.

Choose your five

At launch, you will get unlimited access to 50 apps in the Viveport marketplace. You can choose five titles you want to play and then rotate them out of your selection for another five titles every month. A few of the apps include TheBlu, Richie’s Plank Experience, Everest VR, Fantastic Contraption, and Mars Odyssey. All apps in the service are also for sale, allowing you to try them before you decide to buy.

How much does a subscription cost?

Viveport Subscription costs $6.99 (about £5.60) a month per user. We will update this piece when we know official UK pricing.

Is that it?

As an added bonus, HTC is giving away Arcade Saga, a three-game package that normally costs $19.99 on Steam. And if you haven’t bought a Vive yet, the company is also cutting $100 off the standard retail price. Check out HTC’s blog and FAQ hub for more details.

Apple still hasn’t given up the idea of offering its own pay TV service

For years, Apple has been trying to develop a pay TV service.

Several reports going back to 2009 have claimed Apple is getting ready to launch a subscription-based streaming TV service that would offer around 25 channels, DVR, and live-programming. It’d cost between $30 to $40 per month and be available on iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV. However, according to a new report from Recode, Apple has resorted to considering a premium TV bundle that consists of three channels.

The bundle will combine HBO, Showtime, and Starz – three channels that cord cutters can already access individually for $15, $11, and $9 a month, respectively. But Apple wants to roll them into a single package that it would market as a standalone product for Apple TV and iOS devices. A deal is not yet in place, and it’s currently not known if Apple is trying to offer the bundle with a price discount.

In other words, there’s no word if the bundle would cost the $35 per month it already costs to subscribe to each network individually. We can’t imagine the networks agreeing to that, considering other networks aren’t willing to make concessions and have stalled on past negotiations (to the point where Apple has suggested it’s no longer trying to offer a channel service over the internet).

Also, networks like Dish and even Sony’s PlayStation have already delved into the web TV space, so Apple is facing obstacles on all sides. 

Electric skull cap helps brain cancer patients live longer

A skull cap that shocks tumors with low-intensity electric fields is helping people battle brain cancer. When combined with the oral chemotherapy drug temozolomide, it significantly improved survival rates in patients, according to a clinical trial presented at an annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research on Sunday.

The Optune medical device works by continuously delivering alternating electric fields to the brain. Researchers believe this has an anticancer effect because it blocks cell division. During the clinical trial, patients diagnosed with an aggressive cancer called glioblastoma were randomly assigned the Optune device and chemotherapy treatment, while others received chemo only. Those who used the cap had a median overall survival of 21 months, compared to 16 months for those who didn’t. The two-, three-, four-, and five-year survival rates for patients significantly improved as well: 43 percent versus 31 percent; 26 percent versus 16 percent; 20 percent versus 8 percent; and 13 percent versus 5 percent.

Dr. Roger Stupp, professor of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University, is excited by the study’s findings. It’s been more than 10 years since any form of treatment was shown to improve survival for people with glioblastoma, he said. “When I started treating patients with GBM 20 years ago, the majority of patients died within less than one year and long-term survival was nearly absent,” he said in a press release. “Now, we see a meaningful improvement in survival at two years and beyond. With the combination of Optune and temozolomide, one out of seven patients is living longer than five years.”

As promising as the device may be though, it has a downside — it costs roughly $700 per day, the Associated Press reports. While most US insurers will cover it, Medicare won’t. But, oncology company Novocure, which funded the clinical trial, said it’ll pay for the treatment if need be. “We’ve never refused a patient regardless of insurance status,” Novocure Executive Chairman Bill Doyle told the AP.

Via: Ars Technica

Source: American Association for Cancer Research

Customer service on Twitter now includes location sharing

Twitter is one way to easily get some customer service. A simple tweet can often get a faster response than finding a customer support number or using email. The social network has a new feature to make support even more personal: Brands can now request and share location data with users via direct messages.

Imagine sending a direct message to your carrier when you have a problem with your phone. The brand manager will get your permission to receive your location data and then they can direct you to the closest store. This could make getting your needs met much faster than searching around your mapping app or Yelp.

Twitter has been beefing up its customer service features for a while now, including single-link feedback buttons and other tools. Wingstop even has an order form built into its direct messages for frictionless ordering. So far, restaurants TGI Fridays and Wingstop are using the location-based APIs, while other brands are sure to follow suit.

Via: VentureBeat

Source: Twitter